Winter Park Gives Workers Choice On Holiday For King

WINTER PARK — The city has denied a request to declare Martin Luther King Jr. Day a city holiday but employees still can take the day off and get paid under a new plan.

It was the second consecutive year the city has turned down the request from Janie Baker, president of Winter Park Council on Human Relations. Baker had asked the commission to give city employees a holiday on Jan. 18 as a sign of respect for the slain civil rights leader.

Instead, the city commission last week created a new floating holiday that employees can choose to use on Jan. 18.

Assistant City Manager John Litton said Winter Park has allowed employees to take the day off without pay or as a vacation day for the past two years. This year 59 of about 400 full-time employees did so -- 49 took it as a vacation day and 10 without pay.

''There has been increasing interest among our employees in observing that day. But, first and foremost, we don't give holidays in honor of any person. We don't even give Good Friday,'' said Litton.

The new floating holiday brings the number of paid holidays to eight, Litton said.

Firefighters and fire lieutenants, who are part of a union, will not get the holiday because it would have to be negotiated in their contract.

''It gives everybody who has a particular cause or interest the opportunity to observe what is important to them. And it allows the city to underwrite it rather than charging the day off to their vacation time,'' said Litton.

''I think it floating holiday is better than nothing but not what I would prefer,'' Baker said later. ''I think Dr. King deserved to have all people in Winter Park recognize him on that day because he did great things for all people, black and white.''

Baker said she will encourage city employees to take their new holiday on Jan. 18, the day federal employees have off, as a message to the city. The holiday celebrates King's birthday, which actually falls on Jan. 15.

Eatonville town employees have had the day off in honor of King for the past 10 years and the city usually plans a three-day celebration, said town clerk Ruby Thomas. Next January Orlando will give the day off in honor of King for the first time.

Litton said it costs the city about $40,000 each time it closes down for a holiday. To take the new floating holiday, employees will be required to get departmental approval three days in advance and it will be left to department heads to decide how many employees can take the day off.

There is a possibility some departments may be forced to suspend operations for the day if most of its employees want off.